Tuesday, March 13, 2012

I am extremely pumped about this trip! Sure, it's not your typical senior-year-of-college spring break, but "normal" has just never been an accurate word to describe me. Ha!

I have known for a while now that seminary is something that I want to pursue. Since I heard God clearly call me to ministry about two years ago, seminary has remained in the back of my mind.

I'll be honest - I've spent some time in denial about it. I successfully convinced myself for a few months that teaching English or elementary school would be the more "logical" or "practical" route. I've also tried to avoid the idea of a graduate degree altogether. After all, I have worked tirelessly throughout college to keep high grades, and I am just "too burnt out" to keep going now! English majors can always go into publishing, right?

Over the past year, there are a few things that I have come to know with 100% certainty:

I am not a desk-job kind of girl. I did gymnastics for thirteen years, have coached for eight, and was a personal trainer for almost a year. I like to move and interact with people too much to be cooped up in a chair for eight hours a day!

I love learning and being in the classroom, no matter how tough it can be at times.

I have a passion for talking with people, and I especially love seeing lives transformed by the simple yet profound truths of God's Word.

I yearn to learn more about the Bible and its history. I long to gain a deeper understanding of theology and doctrine. I want to learn how to minister to people so that they know that God loves them and wants to have a true, deep, matchless relationship with them.

I want to do something that I can't do without God's help.

That last point is definitely the most important one. I want to live my life in a way that I cannot live on my own. I want to lean on Him and rely on His provision with every step that I take. I want my life to look differently because of my faith!

So tomorrow, the journey begins! It's just a baby step, but I can't shake the feeling that it is an important one. I have a sense that I am on the brink of something new, and I can't wait to keep moving forward and see what lies ahead.

I want to leave you with a thought tonight - no matter what you believe or what career you pursue, knowledge and learning have amazing transformative power. In reality, these things are no different from exercise or diet - in order to live the most abundant lives possible, we must strive to improve ourselves from the inside out, and this includes the mind, body, and soul. I encourage you to find your passion and to pursue it wholeheartedly. I encourage you to pursue your dreams with all of your mind and all of your strength, because transformation, growth, and a sense of purpose are always within reach.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Today has been crazy! Between an oil change this morning, a meeting with a seminary recruiter in Buford for lunch, and a late meeting for work back in Athens this evening, this day has worn me out in the best kind of way. By the time I walked through my apartment door at 7:15 p.m., I washappy to count my blessings... including the blessing of the sun staying up so late in the evening (thank you, daylight savings!)

Couldn't resist the picture of my record clock, even if it is out of batteries. It is Music Monday, after all!

After such a hectic day, I think that Elvis Costello's "Welcome to the Working Week" is the perfect choice for Music Monday. This is from one of my favorite albums, and it was the perfect soundtrack for my drive up 316 and back today!

"Welcome to the workin' week.You gotta do it till you're through it so you better get to it.I hear you sayin', "Hey, the city's all rightwhen you only read about it in books.Spend all your money gettin' so convincedthat you never even bother to look.Sometimes I wonder if we're livin' in the same land,Why d'you wanna be my friend when I feel like a jugglerrunning out of hands?Welcome to the workin' week, oh, welcome to the working week."